GLASS FLOATS ON THE BEACH

OCTOBER 14, 2017 – MAY 28, 2018

Let the hunt begin! Each year from mid-October to Memorial Day, discover glass treasures in Lincoln City. Our army of Float Fairies covertly hit our seven miles of public beach hiding handcrafted glass floats along their way, from Roads End on the north to Siletz Bay on the south.

While we put out over 3,000 floats each year, collectible floats, which are numbered, are placed reflected by the year – so 2,016 numbered floats were placed in 2016, 2,017 in 2017, etc…. You find it, you keep it!

HOW TO FIND GLASS FLOATS

THE BASIC RULES OF THE HUNT

• Floats can be found above the high tide line and below the beach embankment
• Floats are placed on the beach during daylight hours only.
• Floats are hidden throughout the day, not just at one time.
• Floats are out there every day rain or shine. On rare occasions weather and ocean conditions can create unsafe situations, official notice of any cancellations will be made on our social media channels and website.

When you find an official numbered float, give us a call at 541-996-1274, text FLOATS to 24587 or visit the registration page to register your treasure. You’ll receive a Certificate of Authenticity and information about the artist who crafted your float.

Don’t forget to share a photo on Facebook, Instagram (LincolnCityOR) or Twitter (@LincolnCityOR) pages and use #FindersKeepersLC.

A FEW TIPS AND WORDS OF ADVICE

• We use the term “hide” loosely, we want our treasures to be found!
• Start your hunt at public beach access points.
• During special drops we place other kinds of glass art. look for sand dollars, sea stars, shells, crabs and coins too
• Our Float Fairies hide floats at random times and locations…not even we know.
• If you find an official numbered float, the registration number is located on or near the “button” on the underside.
• Unnumbered floats and glass art pieces cannot be registered.

Bring everyone to the coast to experience the fun of float hunting. Start a new family tradition!

SPECIAL GLASS ART DROPS

In addition to the numbered floats, we place extra pieces of glass art on the beaches for holidays and special occasions. Special drops can include a combination of glass floats, sand dollars, crabs, sea stars, shells or coins.

2017 – 2018 Special Drop Dates

• November 10-12, 2017 – Veterans Day: 50 red, white & blue floats
• November 23-26, 2017 – Thanksgiving: 100 glass art pieces
• December 30, 2017-January 1, 2018 – New Year’s: 100 glass art pieces
• February 9-19, 2018 – Antique Week: 300 antique Japanese floats
• February 10-11, 2018 – Valentine’s Day: 14 glass hearts
• March 24-April 8, 2018 – Spring Break: 300 glass art pieces
• April 21-22, 2018 – Earth Day: 15 Earth floats
• May 12-13, 2018 – Mother’s Day: 100 glass art pieces
• May 26-28, 2018 – Closing Weekend of Finders Keepers: 100 extra floats and 1 jumbo float with a weekend getaway package

TRASH FOR TREASURES & GLASS FLOAT DRAWINGS

Special drawings are held monthly at the Visitor Center for glass floats. Bring a bag of beach trash to the Visitor Center at 540 NE Hwy 101, and fill out an entry form to win a glass float as part of Trash for Treasures. People with disabilities who prefer not to beachcomb are also eligible to enter and win a monthly float drawing.

2018 GLASS ARTISTS

FLOATS

Alder House Glassblowing: Treasure Collupy, Lincoln City, OR
Fernhill Glass: Claude Kurtz, Astoria, OR
Flanigans Glass Gallery: Brett Flanigan, Lincoln City, OR
Gathering Glass Studio: Keith Gabor, Ashland, OR
Glass Quest: Mark and Marcus Ellinger, Stanwood, WA
The Hot Shop: Jeff Hajek, Newport, OR
Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio: Kelly Howard, Jon Meyers, Daniel Millen, and James Benson, Lincoln City, OR
Oregon Coast Glassworks: William Murphy, Newport, OR

GLASS ART

Mor Art: Dan Watts and Maurice Martinez, Lincoln City, OR
Glass Confusion: Marcia Glenn, Lincoln City, OR

HISTORY OF FINDERS KEEPERS

In days gone by, visitors searching Oregon’s beaches often found treasures from the east: blown glass floats in intriguing shades of green and blue. Used by Japanese fishing crews to float their nets, these spheres were as small as two inches or as large as two feet. They were hoarded, polished and adored, the ultimate find for a dedicated beachcomber.

Now that fishing vessels around the world use buoyant plastic, a blown glass float is a rare find – except on the beaches of Lincoln City!

The Finders Keepers project began in 1997, when a local artist first thought of glass floats as an intriguing way to launch the new millennium. Lincoln City sponsored the project, hosting the inaugural season in 1999-2000. Tourists came from around the country to search for their own brilliantly-colored, signed and numbered glass float.

For Lincoln City the Millennium Float project was a perfect combination of art and the outdoors. Those who came in search of a float often found their way to area galleries where unnumbered floats were available for sale, along with a dizzying array of fine art glass from around the world.